West Chios, Agia Markella

The largest pilgrimage made ​​in Chios is 22 July each year , the feast of St. Marcellus. For many years faithful from all over Chios (and not only) starting the night before the feast and goes walking to the church of Agia Markella , about seven km Northwest Volissos and 48 kilometers from the city of Chios . In this way the people want to show their faith and to seek the help of the Miraculous Holy . The Testevuide in his book “The island of Chios” states: ” Minor English, Greek and Ottoman steamers loaded pilgrims from the shores of Europe and Asia … Around 6000 pilgrims camping out in this wilderness .. ” .

Today almost all Chios’ locals go to worship on the day of grace. Agia Markella Volissos born around 1500 AD parents who ignore their names . It was a simple and very beautiful girl, unfortunately Motherless . According to tradition , the Saint did not want to obey immoral desires pagan father. He chased her into the rugged mountains and found the beach , hidden in a bush . Her father burned the bush to force it to come out. She came out and started to run again and ask God to open the earth and swallow , to escape . So it happened , only that he did not swallow the whole earth . Her father, the hunt and cut off his head and threw it into the sea .

In place of her martyrdom and holy water gushing near what is built the church of Agia Markella .

What does the myth says:

Agia Markella came from the town of Chios Volissos . Her mother was a Christian and a pagan father . Since her mother instilled the principles and values ​​of the Christian faith , which he applied to the fullest . Daily adored the Triune God with fasting , prayers and alms . He lived not for himself but for his neighbor . The daily sacrifice is for the love of the Bridegroom Jesus Christ who had devoted . The set of virtues and talents have made her a sought-after bride . Many local youths sought to betroth her . But this true to life in virginity , refused firmly. At an early age loses her mother when she passing away to the heavenly kingdom . The small but Markella more forcefully turn their eyes towards the Above and Life-giver Bridegroom of our Lord Jesus Christ. Intensify its efforts in the cultivation of virtues and becomes beatified of great stature despite his young age.

The misanthrope devil could not stand the fiery faith in the act of Marcella . But they could not throw her on voluntary sin in order to precipitate spiritually. It could indeed , since St. acting with free will , had mortify the flesh and the desires thereof. He shielded the armor of the Lord of Love Divine sake of . So he turned to use as the body of her father. He also was always opposed to the lifestyle of his daughter. Many times he had tried to convince to change their stance . But now outraged . Trying to make her deny Christ None of the ways of either good , or with threats and violence is not paid off. The determination of the Holy was decisive and irrevocable . Nothing made ​​her change or exchange his faith in Him. The unbearable life caused her to leave her parents’ house to find refuge in the mountains.

The woodlands praising God and glorify that claimed to be persecuted Holy name. Her father , however, as possessed began to persecute and there. Traditionally , the devil had so blurred mind that even harbored thoughts lust for his own daughter . When persecuted Markella he saw that he was close to hid in a bush . Her father, after the suggestion of a shepherd spotted her and to force her to come out of the bush , the fired . So the Holy heavily wounded of thorns and impaired by the smoke and the fire ran to the sea shore , in an effort to avoid him and be saved . In this effort the father pointed his bow or gun and wounded . The saint began to bleed uncontrollably and her blood to stain the stones coastline . He continued to run, but the forces of the abandoned and the persecutor of the father drew more and more. Then the Saint prays to the Lord Jesus Christ in order to preserve . And lo and behold ! The stone which conclusively sat up , opened and hid her body, as the average . His father once tried to send without result , after the first cut their breasts then beheaded . He threw the honest head to the sea which then has collected the so wondrous , a ship and transported to Rome. So Agia Markella received the crown of martyrdom for her faith in Christ . He was martyred by her own father as a saint Barbara and many other saints . She took the Grace of God with the miraculous and innumerable are daily miracles specifically during the end times .

From the rock that hid the body of holy water gushes when priest reads the request , the sea water begins to boil , and stops when finished request . Notable also is reporting that the beach began to bleed from the first hit father of the Agia Markella and distance to the place of her martyrdom , the stones are still red from the blood of the saint . em>